As a food writer, I’ve tried just about everything that can be served on a dining table (and some things that perhaps shouldn’t be). But the idea of eating cultivated meat—also known as cell‑based, cultured or lab‑grown meat, which is meat made from animal cells rather than the meat of slaughtered livestock—still gave me pause. Is it safe? Is it healthy? And is it really more sustainable than the real thing?
In December 2020, the Singapore Food Agency approved the sale of cultivated meat in Singapore, the first government body in the world to do so. The approval was for cultivated chicken meat developed by American food tech company Eat Just’s Good Meat subsidiary, and the product—billed as the future of food and presented in bite‑sized nugget form—debuted at private members club 1880. Later, dishes using Good Meat cultivated chicken meat featured in Cantonese restaurant Madame Fan’s delivery menu.
Despite my initial hesitation, I threw caution to the wind and sampled Madame Fan’s chicken and rice—breaded Good Meat chicken cutlets set atop fragrant jasmine rice, served with heritage carrots, micro shiso and edible flowers. The perfectly seasoned cultivated chicken meat tasted just like “natural” chicken breast, with a noticeably smoother, more tender texture.
Seventeen months on, Good Meat chicken remains the only cultivated meat currently commercially available here. But more food tech companies are following suit and developing their own cultivated meat products, aiming to ease the food demands of a rapidly growing population and develop a more sustainable way of producing meat that is better for the planet.
FINDING ALTERNATIVES
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2022 من Tatler Singapore.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2022 من Tatler Singapore.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Mathew Leong
As the Norway-based Singaporean chef celebrates a milestone year both personally and professionally, he opens up about the toughest moments of his career and why failing is not an option
Asian Inspirations
Chef Ace Tan on his second restaurant, Asu-his love letter to regional Asian cuisine
State of the Arts
Arts nominated member of parliament Usha Chandradas discusses growing the creative economy by focusing on both supply and demand
Through a Curator's Lens
Circe Henestrosa, a fashion curator and the head of the School of Fashion at Lasalle College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, merges her personal connection with artist Frida Kahlo with her extensive curatorial experience to explore intersecting themes of identity, disability and cultural heritage
Second Nature
Poet and educator Yong Shu Hoong brings fresh perspectives to the helm of the Singapore Writers Festival, from interdisciplinary perspectives to multilingual programmes
Wine Down
Nothing wraps up the day like a nice glass of vino. From flashy hedonistic escapades to geeky watering holes, these new wine bars promise celebrated viniferous pours that will please even the most discerning of oenophiles
A Legacy in Silhouettes
Kristina Blahnik, CEO of the designer shoe brand Manolo Blahnik and the niece of its legendary founder, shares her insights on preserving the house's heritage and introduces the new Manolo's Silhouettes campaign
To Have and to Hold
With its sumptuous textures, Loro Piana's elegant autumn/winter 2024 collection is a chic celebration of craft, quality and the universal appeal of tactility
Scent of Strength
Hermès unveils its first chypre perfume, Barénia―a captivating fragrance crafted by renowned perfumer Christine Nagel that embodies bold femininity and celebrates the brand's rich heritage
Nocturnal Revival
Nighttime skincare rituals will get a boost of supercharged restoration with La Mer's new Rejuvenating Night Cream